On Saturday 12th February 2023, the Assumption Sisters and young adults attended the one-day conference 'Sharing the Church's Story' which saw 1300 Catholics come together at the QE11 Centre, to listen to the voices of the Church filled with speakers, panels and moments of prayer and worship.

Catholic Voices and the Word of Fire Institute hosted a one-day conference with the vision of bringing people together for an experience of profound personal renewal to equip us for our own missons. Bishop Robert Barron was the keynote speaker along with many inspiring voices such as Brenden Thomas, Tom Holland, Sarah De Nordwall and many others, all sharing their personal experiences and encounters of faith. We invited two young adults to join us for the day, here are their reflections:

'5 moments I felt God’s presence:

1. When Brenden Thompson reflected with us on suffering: do we become bitter or do we build?

2. When Bishop Barron expanded on the meaning of the evangelical counsels for the laity, and when explaining poverty, quoted the following from Pope Leo XIII: "Once the demands of necessity and propriety have been met, the rest that one owns belongs to the poor". 

3. When the Tolkien-Lewis panelists discussed the link between St John Henry Newman and Tolkien, which had me thinking about the people around me and how they bring me to Christ. 

4. When I had the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the tabernacle in front of me, and Westminster Abbey behind me.

5. When all 1300 of us were singing "Oh Sacrament Most Holy" acappella in Adoration' - Sarah

I can share the Church story in small ways and in my way:

'I really enjoyed the conversation between Bishop Barron and Tom Holland. I found it to be an intellectual conversation which looked at all sides and took in all points of view. As someone who likes to look at my faith in that same lense I found the talk to be very insightful and took in so many new things both academically and spiritually. The other speakers were also amazing in sharing their stories of faith and the story of the Coventry cross will always encourage me. What I took from all the speakers and all the topics of discussion is one truth that we, I, should be bold in my faith and secure in my identity in Christ and not be sorry about it or afraid it might bother others. I can share the Church story in small ways and in my way and that makes me feel brave!' - Kopnu